


The First Date

by details



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Dating, First Dates, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Narry - Freeform, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-17
Updated: 2013-08-17
Packaged: 2017-12-23 19:58:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/930484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/details/pseuds/details
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Only one boy had managed to give me butterflies ever in my life. That boy was standing right in front of me and I didn’t have the balls to kiss him. Only, these weren’t really butterflies. They were pterodactyls. I’m talking internal bruising, totally dizzy and fuzzy kind of pterodactyls.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The First Date

**Author's Note:**

> This short Narry thing just happened. 
> 
> I don't know.

****

As Seen by Niall…

I was nervously taking a last minute look at myself in the mirror when the doorbell rang, and when it did, about eight thousand butterflies took wind in my stomach. I had waited a whole year for this night.

Harry fucking Styles asked me out. Holy shit. Harry hottest, nicest, most perfect guy at school. Like serious high school perfect. Good grades, co-captain of the basketball team, president of the service club. Every one loved him, everyone wanted to date him, especially me. 

I’d thought Harry Styles was never going to take the hint and ask me out. Everyone was after him, so it was a miracle that he even noticed me. And if this evening didn’t turn out to be perfect, I knew he’d never ask me again.

With that comforting thought in mind, I tried to quiet my knocking knees, and open the door.

Harry stood on the front door step, and porch light blazing down on the gorgeous dark hair every girl (and guy) in school wished she could run her fingers through.

He smiled. “Hi, you look nice.”

I didn’t look nice at all. My hair hadn’t turned out and was totally flat, and the really cool jumper I’d wanted to wear smelled like shit because I haven't washed it in ages.But hey, it was a compliment from Harry, and I was going to take all I could.

I smiled back anyway. “Thanks, so do you,” I said, and immediately I wished I hadn’t. How dumb can you get? You just don’t say that kind of thing to Harry Styles. Even when he does. Repeating the compliment he’s already used does not do his perfection justice. Not at all.

When we were settled in his car, Harry turned to me. “Where would you like to go?”

Something in the area of my midsection dropped ten feet. That wasn’t fair. How did I know where he could afford to go? And how dull he’s going to think I am if I don’t suggest something exciting.

“Wherever you want to go,” I said, chalking up the second point against me; I was in rare form tonight. I’d managed to be both dumb and dull in less than two minutes. And I had a feeling this was only the beginning.

Harry smiled again. Or pretended to, anyway. “How about going to the Capital?”

The something dropped ten more feet. The Capital was a nearby movie theater that only played one movie at a time. They were always ‘classics’ and really quite boring. Sometimes the films didn’t even have sound. The only reason I ever went was to ‘accidentally’ run into Harry, which I’ll never say out loud.

“I’ve seen it,” I said miserably; Niall Horan, boy failure.

Harry thought a moment, “How about the Starlight?”

I coughed violently. The Starlight was a drive-in theater. No drive-ins on first dates. That was kind of a rule anyone had if they didn’t want to be labeled as “easy”. And who did Harry think I was if I was going to go to the drive-in on a first date? “I’ve seen that one, too,” I lied, wondering what was playing and praying he wouldn’t ask; (also wishing I were dead.)

Harry looked like he was going to laugh, but he didn’t. Bless him. “What movie haven’t you seen?”

“I like movies,” I said weakly. I haven’t seen anything else, but at this moment I wouldn’t have admitted it under an oath.

This time Harry laughed right out loud. I sunk lower in my seat, mostly wishing I hadn't said yes. I don’t even know why I tired. Harry was probably just waiting for this night to be over so he could get rid of me. I couldn’t keep my crazy under control, especially when it came to Harry. 

“We could do something else?” Harry said, laughter still evident in this voice. 

“Yes. We could do something else.” I agreed, picking at my pants. 

“How about be go to the Foster Cabin?” Harry suggested. I gulped audibly. The Foster Cabin was a piece of property that was a little out of town. According to urban legend, the cabin had used by some crazy necrophiliac serial killer in the 70’s. Everyone who was anyone went to Foster Cabin at least once in their life. 

“Um.” I said dumbly. “It’s dark. You know, I haven't seen that new Bruce Willis movie. I think it’s playing at The Freemont.”

Oh god. I’ve seen that stupid movie not once, but twice. But I will never ever step foot in that damn cabin. No way. 

He laughed again and shook his beautiful head. “Okay yeah. Whatever you want.”

“Okay. Yeah. That sounds good. And not creepy as fuck.” I said, forcing a smile. Liar and a total fuck job. I bet Harry was loving this.

Nothing disastrous happened between the parking lot and The Freemont, and I was beginning to relax when he walked over to the snack bar. Harry gave me a questioning look, and assuming that he meant did I want something, I shook my head no, I didn’t want to eat. Who could eat at a time like this?

Then he was handed two boxes of popcorn and promptly handed me one. He’d mistaken my nod and figured I meant yes; and somehow, it figured. What difference did it make that I despised popcorn and that it gave me the world’s noisiest hiccups every time I even looked at it? Nothing had gone right yet. Why should it start now?

I reluctantly followed after him. My day of doom has come. I know it has.

The movie was about a fourth of the way through when I realized Harry wasn’t watching it. He was watching me. That figured, too. There I was gazing vacantly at the screen, clutching the unopened box of popcorn like it was an old friend. 

“Don’t you want your popcorn?” he asked me when our eyes met.

“Of course,” I blurted, much too loudly, and someone behind us said shut up in a very impolite tone of voice.

Returning my vacant gaze to the screen, I bravely opened the box of popcorn. I ate one kernel and held my breath. Nothing happened. I ate another kernel, holding my breath again. I probably turned a little blue, but still nothing happened, so I ate another kernel.

Then, something happened. In fact, everything happened. 

First, I hiccupped so resoundingly I know they heard it all over the town. 

Second, although I’d been expecting it to happen, the hiccup startled me so much the entire box of popcorn ended up in Harry’s lap. All over Harry’s lap, I should say. 

Third, and last but hardly least, I started to laugh. I tried not to, but I couldn’t help it. Then that aforementioned someone behind us said to shut up this time or else, I did.

Solemnly swearing to never open my ridiculous mouth again as long as I live, I watched the remainder of the movie without actually seeing it. All through it I was conscious, too, conscious of Harry beside me. I loved the thought of his being there and the knowledge that he’d never be there again made me want to start bawling. 

Considering the track record, it’s a wonder I didn't go right ahead and do it.

After the movie, we went to the burger place next door, and it was then that I begin to wonder what I’d ever done to deserve all this. Harry was so perfect and nice and perfect all the time and all I could do was make stupid comments and babble like an idiot.

Then the highlight of the night came. Harry ordered a hamburger. _With onions._

The waitress looked at me, I looked back at the waitress, and she looked back at me. “Well,” she said at last, and not too kindly.

“Well, what.” If I didn’t order a hamburger with onions, Harry was going to think I didn’t want to kiss him goodnight. I didn’t want him to think it was because I didn’t want to. God, I would kill my best friend to have Harry Styles kiss me goodnight. But I despised onions, so I wasn’t about to make that mistake again.

I sighed whole-heartedly. “I’ll have a hamburger without.” And I’ll be damned if Harry didn’t laugh again. My face flushed, and when the hamburger without onions arrived I bit into mine like I expected it to bite me back.

When the waitress came back to pick up the tray, Harry looked at his watch. “Hey, it’s after eleven,” he said, sounding worried. “I’ve got to get home. I have basketball practice in the morning.”

I made myself nod politely. Basketball practice, my ass. On Saturday? Precisely who was he trying to kid? Me, that’s who. I even knew what would come next. We’d drive home. He’d walk me to the door. He’d say it’s been fun and that he’d call me. And he never would. And that was perfectly all right with me because I wouldn’t be able to come to the phone anyway. Future conversations were out of the question sine I planned to commit suicide sometime before morning.

We drove home. Harry walked me to the door. “It’s been fun,” he said. “I’ll can you,” he added.

And then instead of trying to kiss me good night, or asking if he could, he reached up and patted me on the head. _Patted me_ … I fully expected him to say, “Goodnight, Rover,” but he didn’t. He just said goodnight and sprinted back to the car.

When I got up to my room, I looked around for something to kill myself with, but all I could find was a letter opener, and it was as dull as I was. Way to make a first impression, Niall. I’ve only been in love with the guy since the beginning of time. Too bad I’m too much of a jackass to make anything happen.

Finally I decided my demise would have to wait until tomorrow. I went to bed, knowing I wouldn’t be able to sleep a wink.

Surprisingly, I fell asleep immediately, hoping morning would never come.

 

****

As Seen by Harry…

I must have stood on the Horan doorstep at least five minutes before I rang the bell. For some crazy reason, I suddenly didn’t want to go out with Niall.

It wasn’t because Niall wasn’t a cute, popular guy. He was all that and more. I guess it was because I knew exactly what it was going to be like. It was going to be like all the other dates I’d been on.

You see, although I don’t really know why, the other people around school consider me some kind of a catch or something. As far as I can see, about the only thing that makes me any different from the rest of the guys is that I’m available. I’ve never been in a relationship in my life. And you know what that does to a boy (or girl, I’m not picky).

I didn’t have to wonder if Niall was going to act just like the other girls and guys who’ve tried to snare me. I knew he had sort of a thing for me. And had for a long time. And now that I’d asked him out, I knew what was in store for me.

For the next few hours Niall was going to do everything in her power to make sure his hooks got into me, good and solid. He was going to be perfect. He’d look perfect and act perfect, plus he would try everything in his power to give me the “ten feet tall” feeling that people have the mistaken idea they’re capable of giving.

Tonight, he’d be the alluring, willing slave to the poor defenseless male he hoped to master. And, unfortunately, that poor defenseless male was me. But what the hell, I rang the doorbell anyway.

I must say, that when he did answer the door, I immediately knew I’d been right about one thing. He did look perfect. His hair was soft and natural instead of swept up in that high quiff thing. And instead of the usual too fancy jumper or blazer, he was wearing a black shirt and a red cardigan pushed over his forearms and like I said, he looked perfect.

I smiled, “Hi,” I said. “You look nice.” He smiled back. 

“Thanks, so do you.” So do you. That was a funny thing for a him to say. My dates usually expect me to spend about two years getting all shaved and dressed up for them, and say nothing about it. 

I walked with him to the car, and once we were settled, I prepared myself for the rest of the night. Turning to him, I said, “Where would you like to go?” He, of course, would already have a list of exciting places to mention so I’d think he was about the happiest boy alive. 

“Wherever you want to go,” he said. That was kind of a surprise. But he’d rise to the bait question next. 

“How about going to the Capitol?” I knew he’s been to that movie because I’d seen him there two nights before. But he’d never admit it on a bet. It wouldn’t be the perfect thing to do.

“I’ve seen it.” Niall said at last. Okay, I thought, have it your way. Don’t try to be perfect. Try to be different. That’s a good form of attack too. Now what would a boy who’s trying to be different do to prove it?

“How about the Starlight?” I asked, which was a stroke of sheer genius. Most of the people had some silly rule about no drive-ins on the first date, especially if it wasn’t a group date, but not when they’re trying to be different.

Niall coughed violently, like he’d just swallowed the answer to my question. “I’ve seen that one, too” he lied hopefully. I don’t know why I knew he was lying. I just did, and all of a sudden I felt like laughing.

“What movies haven’t you seen?” I asked, chuckling at him a little.

He looked very perplexed for a second (this kid must go to an awful lot of movies), and then he spoke. “I like movies.’

I don’t know why that made me feel like laughing again, but this time I couldn’t keep from it. It must have been that look on his face or something. It was half confused half pained and completely endearing really.

“We could do something else?” I suggested. He was good, I have to admit. But he had to do something normal at some point. 

“Yes. We could do something else.” He said with a small nod. I wanted to laugh, and another part of me wanted to hit my head on the steering wheel. Different is good, sure. But make up your fucking mind, you know?

“How about be go to the Foster Cabin?” I said after a long pause. He gulped audibly. I’ve only ever taken guys that I’ve gone on dates with up there. It’s usually a disaster. The Cabin is seriously creepy and weird shit happens. But I like to do it to the dull dates that will do anything I say. I had to see if Niall was one of those boys.

Maybe Niall is just nervous, and that could explain why he didn’t agree on a movie. But asking him to the Foster Cabin is what will break him. I know it. He’ll be just like the rest. Willing to do anything I say just because he thinks he’ll have a chance with me if he manages to impress me. It was obvious from his body language that he didn’t want to. He just wouldn’t say no. That would be normal.

“Um.” He said slowly. “It’s dark. You know, I haven’t seen that new Bruce Willis movie. I think it’s playing at The Freemont.”

Who is this boy and where did he come from?

I couldn’t help it. I laughed again. This was definitely different. “Okay yeah. Whatever you want.”

“Okay. Yeah. That sounds good. And not creepy as fuck.” He said with a cute little smile. He had a nice smile, I noticed as we pulled out of the driveway. I like nice smiles. 

Every time I thought about it on the way to The Freemont, I laughed some more. “It’s dark.” Is all he said. No ‘fuck you’ or ‘fall in love with me if I say yes’. He said “its dark”. It’s brilliant really. Niall didn’t say anything. He just sort of looked like he was counting something up in his head. Probably totaling up the number of movies he’d seen this week.

When we got inside, I asked him if he wanted something, and he waved his head around a couple of times. Rather than go through the trouble of figuring out whether he meant a yes or no, I ordered him a box of popcorn and let it go at that.

The movie about a half of the way through when I had the sudden urge to look over at him. He was staring at the stage with that glass-eye look people get when they’re watching a TV re-run for the three thousandth time. And he was clutching her unopened box of popcorn like it was saving him from drowning.

I recognized the glassy-eyed look right away. The little fucker had seen the movie before, but then the way he went to the movies how could he have helped it? But the popcorn clutching bit. That I didn’t get. 

“Don’t you want your popcorn?” I asked, figuring I’d eat it if he didn’t.

“Of course,” he blurted in the loudest whisper I think I’ve ever heard, and opened the box of popcorn like he thought it had a time bomb in it. Then he started eating popcorn and holding his breath and eating more popcorn and holding his breath and eating some more. I was about to ask him what in the something-or-other he was doing when he practically rocked the theater with the greatest, biggest hiccup in history. 

All that’s not all. It scared him so much he jumped and the whole box of popcorn landed right in my lap. All over my lap, I should say. 

And that’s _still_ not all. Instead of running out of the theater or crawling under his seat from embarrassment, he did the craziest thing, he burst out laughing. And holy shit, he had a nice laugh. It was loud and carefree and rumbling. The kind that made you happy just to hear.

I wanted to join him but some guy behind us started complaining. After the hiccup he sort of had a point there. I have to admit that I watched the rest of the movie without seeing much of it. Boy, if this wasn’t the weirdest date I’d been on in my life. That Niall was a real screwball.

After the movie, I made one last attempt. This guy had to do something normal. The law of averages proved that. So we walked into the Burger-In next door and I dropped the bomb.

I ordered a _hamburger with onions_. I felt bad the second I did because that’s just about the dirtiest trick you can pull on a first date. It completely wipes them out. He won’t know what to do. If he orders the same, he’ll think that I think he wants me to kiss him good night, which he probably doesn’t. And if he orders a hamburger without, he’ll think that I’m going to think he doesn’t want to kiss me, and he doesn’t want that to happen either. (It’s basic high school logic.)

Every time I’ve pulled this on a girl or a boy, they’ve escaped the whole matter and solved everything by only ordering a drink. I waited for Niall to do just that. It’s a good thing I didn’t hold my breath waiting because after the waitress prompted Niall a little, he said, “I’ll have a hamburger without.” And the way he emphasized without just absolutely cracked me up.

He got all red, and all of a sudden I felt sorry for him so I shut up. I didn’t want him to think I was laughing _at_ him, because I wasn’t. I just think he’s so fucking cute I don’t know what else to do. Then I remember about tomorrow. I have basketball practice at nine a.m. It usually didn’t happen, but I suppose with such a big game coming up coach wasn’t taking any chances.

“Hey,” I said, looking at my watch. “It’s after eleven. I’ve got to go home. I have basketball practice in the morning.”

Then Niall really took the cake. You know how people get when they think you’re giving them the business? They give you this big “I couldn’t care less look’ and act like they can hardly wait to get rid of you.

Niall made an attempt to move his head around, but his eyes looked like a couple of stones. He didn’t believe me, and it showed, and it was about the most honest reaction I’d ever seen a date of mine have. 

I wanted to say something, but since I couldn’t think of something, I kept quiet until we got home. Then I walked him to the door, and I knew what I wanted to say and I wouldn’t say it. Something really strange was happening to me. I was flipping over this boy. He was so cute, and so screwy and his hooks were into me good.

Only one boy had managed to give me butterflies ever in my life. That boy was standing right in front of me and I didn’t have the balls to kiss him. Only, these weren’t really butterflies. They were pterodactyls. I’m talking internal bruising, totally dizzy and fuzzy kind of pterodactyls. Jesus.

“It’s been fun,” I said after we’d stood on the doorstep looking at each other for about a week. Mostly it was me switching between staring at his amazing eyes and perfect mouth. That was a pretty stupid thing to say, I know, but what was I supposed to say? _I love you?_

If I did that, he’d probably get the hiccups again and wake up the whole neighborhood.

**Author's Note:**

> questions, comments, concerns? a followup? feedback is appreciated!


End file.
